Never Talk to a Paopu Fruit Tree
by Chibi Tanny
Summary: Sora waffles his worries to the odd shaped Paupo fruit tree; he makes a wish without thinking twice about it, just because trees don't talk doesn't mean they are not listening. (Story's focus: Riku becoming a toddler. Ever imagined Sora a babysitter?)


**Rating: **R (just being safe)

**Genre: **Humor

**Pairings: **Sora/Riku, (implied) Sora/Kairi & Riku/Kairi

**Time Plot: **Before the KH adventure

**Author: **Chibi Tanny (The Slayer)

**Contact Author: **microwave_oven016@hotmail.com

**Summary: **Riku seems to be on the Paopu Fruit Island a lot these days, just sitting there . . . .thinking.  Sora notices and he worries for his best friend's health; he tells the Paopu Fruit Tree his fears and wishes that Riku was like when they were kids – happy; as he picked the tree's fruit. Of course the Paopu tree said nothing to Sora's pleas, but that doesn't mean to say the tree wasn't listening . . . . (NOTE: Riku Chibi-ness ahead!)

**Disclaimer:** Kingdom Hearts Characters etc, do not belong to me. They are owned by Squaresoft and Disney and I am sorry but I cannot lay claim to fame for their creations. 

Maybe though I might. . . . . . .someday.

When I rule the earth! Mahahahahaaa!

_Ansem__: Heeey that was my line._

**Authors Note: **I have not much to say, just that this is my first Kingdom Hearts fiction.

Updates will be random, but school holidays are due for me, so I may get some time to update sometimes daily. 

I love reviews! Please review. However criticism is not one of my strong points and I don't take to kindly too it, it'll only put me off updating at all. BE CAREFUL.

Excuse me for any spelling or grammar mistakes, it is also one of my weaker points.

Yeah I know the idea has been done before, but I just couldn't help myself, who doesn't want more Riku Chibis? =3

_Riku: . . . . me. -__-()_

_Tanny: Shush you dun get a say in it._

Anyway enjoy!

Love Tanny.

**Never Talk to a Paopu Fruit Tree**

_Chapter One: Never Talk to Strange Trees_

The tropical sun shone brightly, blinding periwinkle sapphire eyes; automatically a white fingerless gloved hand shielded the sensitive eyes as he peered across the groaning wood bridge connecting the infamous Paopu Fruit Island with main land; Destiny Island. 

Silver shoulder length hair, refined slender yet muscular build, light toned skin and intense meaningful aqua eyes; this young male teenager currently occupied the small Paopu Island.

He leant casually against the oddly bent Paupo Fruit Palm, staring absently out at the gentle blue ocean; a far away expression entrenched upon his perfectly curved face.

Sapphire eyes that had been focused on the older teen male up ahead on the island curiously, brightened as the one who owned them allowed a goofy grin to spread across a cheery face of sun shine.

_- Ahh. There's Riku, shoulda guessed where he was._

_Hm__.__ He has been out there a lot like that . . . . . thinking. I wonder what he thinks about?-_

He no longer allowed himself to linger in such curious thoughts and as the cool sea breeze picked up ruffling his chestnut hair, tugging it playfully across his face prying in the way of his sapphire sight. Sprinting from his original stationary position, large yellow sneakers thumped across the boarded bridge connecting the islands, the thudding was a general set pace and the energy bound pre-teen leapt off it when he neared the end landing with a resounding final 'thud' on the ground as his feet connected with the earth. 

But these antics were not enough to distract the peer; Riku from his deep state of thought.

The lean auburn haired boy clad in red overalls bounced over to Riku, still with the beam plastered on his face. He boosted himself up over the Paopu palm, draping over its trunk on his belly like a towel. Swinging his legs out behind him childishly, he greeted his presently docile friend.

"Hey Riku!" he chirped, "What ya doin'?"

Ok so that was a stupid question it was obvious, he already knew the answer.

"Mornin' Sora; just thinking," Riku's answer was detached as if he weren't really there; he didn't even bother to peel his gaze from its focus upon the ocean.

"Right," Sora paused, "You are still camping out tonight on the beach with me and Kairi?"

"Its 'Kairi and I' Sora," Riku corrected his friend's bad language skills, "and yes, am I. Why? Are you hinting to me you wanna be alone with her?" 

A teasing tone graced Riku's cool once devoid voice. Turning toward Sora's, mischievous aqua eyes met confused cerulean ones.

"Huh?" blinking stupidly, Sora scratched the back of his neck.

The childish swinging of his lower limbs ceased, all brain power was required to translate what Riku had so bluntly implied. His expression must have been apparent because a smug smirk crossed Riku's lips.

"Come now Sora, you don't consider me _that blind do you?" inquired Riku smoothly._

Sora merely found heat spreading across his cheeks and down his neck; Riku's answer didn't need words.

Folding well-sculptured arms and titling his head forward; still holding the smug expression but now his marine eyes were concealed by the silver locks falling over his eyes like a curtain. 

Sora frowned observing his friend, he noted there was something off about him; something that was unsettling. That's when he saw it; a split second but he saw it! Riku's mask quavered and fell for just a small moment but it was enough for even naïve Sora to perceive his best friend sudden look of vulnerability and defenselessness.

It was like Riku was someone completely different, like everything he knew about Riku was a lie; one big lie. That Riku wasn't as tough and invincible as he made himself out to be, since well, as far as Sora could recall. Sora had never considered that fact that Riku had more than one layer under that mask of strong will. Was the world going insane? Or did Sora just imagine it all? 

Eventually, Sora's sharp intake for oxygen broke the deadly silence between the two boys.

"You go gather the food for tonight and I'll go collect the fire wood," Riku stated firmly, as if nothing had happened. 

_-Then again; maybe nothing did happen, maybe it was all in my head?-  _

Sora's thoughts trailed off as he watched Riku retreating from the diminutive island toward the bridge.

_-But he looked so  . . . .  sad -_

"Riku!" Sora called out to his childhood friend.

Riku seemed to stiffen at the sound of his name, stopping he tilted his head to the left to hear out the spiky haired boy; however kept his back to him at all costs.

"A-Are you ok? You seem  . . .I dunno; gloomy?" Sora stumbled for the right words.

Riku paused for a good minute before returning his gaze straight ahead and gave a fake chuckle, "You better start getting that food Sora, or it'll be dark. I know you're not the greatest when it comes to not eating the food you find. Try fish at least we know you don't like raw fish."

With this final comment Riku continued across the bridge until he disappeared through the shack.

Sora feeling the most perplexed he had ever in his short life, stared until Riku was completely out of sight; as the shack door creaked shut. His bright mood suddenly taking a rollercoaster dive, Sora found himself staring out to sea now. He suddenly understood why Riku did this, the ocean was very mesmerizing. Sighing heavily, Sora broke his gaze with the swirling mass of water; he glanced up to the fruit tree he was lounging on. 

"Life must be simple being a tree," Sora stated out aloud to the tree.

It didn't reply. Its leaves merely swayed in the gentle wind.

"Has Riku always been that sad?" Sora asked the tree stupidly.

Again the tree did not reply. Noticing the fruit on the tree Sora brightly grinned; maybe a paopu fruit would cheer everyone up? They could try one after dinner tonight on the beach. Sora began struggling up the crooked trunk still waffling to the tree.

"Whatever happened to the Riku I used to know?" 

Still no answer was coming forward from this tree.

"Its like the world has gone crazy! Riku isn't supposed to be like . . . . . .  what I saw. He's suppose to be, well, Riku; the Riku I used to know. My best friend who had an endless supply of adventures for us and was NEVER scared. We were so _happy _back then; _Riku_ used to be_ happy back then."_

It may have been a one sided conversation, but Sora seemed to take great comfort in talking to the tree. Finally making it to the tree's foliage Sora grasped one of the four star shaped fruit, plucking it from the tree he dropped it to the ground below, then repeated this process once more.

"I wish . . . ." 

Gripped a third one, so they would all have a paopu fruit each and tugged; it didn't budge. 

"I wish . . . ."

Sora gave the obstinate fruit a harder tug, frowning in annoyance as once again he had not freed this one. Using both hands now he leant back using all of his weight

"I wish Riku was like when we were kids, when he was _truly happy."_

With a final tug the fruit's attachment gave way with a snap and Sora lost his balance and plummeted to the earth below, with a sickening 'thump'.

Creaking open his eyes Sora moaned in pain a resonant, "Ouch."

Staring up at the Paopu palm flat on his back it swayed in the breeze mocking him, Sora frowned getting back up meekly wincing as a twinge of pain coursed through his back as he rose from the ground. 

Gathering up the fruit he mumbled, "Yeah, I wish Riku was like when we were kids; trulyhappy."

Sora hurried across the bridge, to the shack so he could go gather some fish by the sea side at their campsite.

There had been no answers for Sora from the Paopu Fruit Tree, but just because trees cannot talk, doesn't mean they are not listening . . . 

**To Be Continued.**

_Tanny: And the moral to this story, kiddies is; never talk to strange trees._

_Please Review. (if you can.) _

_Unlike my stupid compy.___

_-kicks it-_

_It doesn't allow me to review. Grr_


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